Scale - Tsukishima Kei

Chapter 7

Convincing myself that it's better for those around me, I succumb to the darkness that has been tugging at me for a while now.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry I've caused so many problems. I hope everyone can live happily now. That's all I want. Please, be happy.

~

Beep........beep........beep

My eyes slowly open, well as much as they can considering they're swollen again. Staring up at a white ceiling, I realize I'm at a hospital.

How did I get here?

I turn my head, despite the pain that shoots through me, and I see my parents at the foot of the bed, sleeping in chairs. There's hardly any light, the only source coming from the open windows. It must be really early in the morning.

I look at my arms, there's so many wires in them. I'm like a puppet.

I spot my phone on the small stand next to the bed and slowly grab it. Ugh, this sucks. No matter what I do, I'm in pain.

I tap the screen, letting my phone light up. It opens to my texts with Tsukishima. I see that it's 5:27am. Should I text him? He said they wake up early, but how early is that?

Maybe I will.

Me
Are you awake? Good morning
The camp is almost over, good luck!

I stare at my phone for a minute, reading over the text. Maybe the exclamation point was too much. I see the chat bubble come up that signals his typing, and soon he responds.

Tsukishima
Well I am now.
Why the fuck are you texting me at 5am? What makes you think I want to talk to people this early?
Do you not remember what I said? Stop being so fucking needy.

Me
I'm sorry

Reading his text, especially right now, hurts me even more. I put my phone down and close my eyes as the familiar stinging of tears burn them.

Of course I was being too needy. I'm always doing something wrong. God, I really should have just-

"Mei?" I hear, and I look down at my mother who's now looking at me.

"Mom?" I try to sit up but it hurts so I stop.

"My poor baby" She chokes out, standing from her seat and rushing to my side. She takes one of my hands and I can see tears a sliding down her face. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry! This is all my fault, I should have never sent you to the store. I-I should have made sure I had all the ingredients. I'm so-" A sob leaves her body and I put my other hand on top of hers.

I don't like to see my mother like this, the sight brings me tears of my own.

"It's not your fault. It's okay." I try to reassure her but she shakes her head quickly.

"No! It's not okay! Because of my own selfishness my daughter is laying here, half dead. Baby I'm so sorry. I love you so much. Please forgive me." She lets go of my hands, and it's only then that I see they're shaking.

She kneels down, getting on the floor and bowing. My shoulders slump as I watch my own mother, sobbing and bowing to me, her forehead pressed against the floor.

"M-Mom please stand up. It wasn't your fault." I cry. "The kids from school just don't like me." She stands up, wiping at her face but it's no use, the tears keep coming. She grabs her chair and moves it beside me, sitting down.

"Was it the same person as last time? What's their name? We have to report it to the police." She sniffles, calming down. I take a deep breath, willing myself not to cry anymore either.

"We can't..." I whisper, remembering what Sumi said the last time her and her friends beat me to the point of needing medical attention. If I ever go to the police, she'll make sure I die painfully slow.

If I die, I just want it to be fast. I don't want to go through even more pain.

"Why? Don't protect them sweetheart, they're bad people." A deep frown takes over her face and I sigh.

"It'll be a lot worse if we go to the police." I mumble and she puts her head in her hands.

"I can't get the image of you laying in a pool of blood out my head. It looked like you were dead. I was so sure you were dead. I couldn't even talk when I called 119. They're going to come in later today regardless, to get a statement since you're not in a good state. I want you to tell them everything... but I know it's not up to me." She sniffles, removing her hands from her face and wiping her eyes again. "I'm just really glad you're okay, at least as okay as you can be right now."

"Oh, Mei. You're awake now." I hear my father's voice and we both look at him. He moves his chair next to my mother and kisses the top of my head before sitting down. "How are you feeling champ?" He asks, giving me a small, sad, smile.

"I'm okay." I say, returning his smile with a weak one of my own. "It just...hurts."

"I'm sorry baby..." His voice trails off and he rubs his face. I realize his eyes are red and puffy. He must have been crying. "I was thinking this for a while...but I think we should move."

"Move?" My mother quickly looks at him. He turns to her and nods, putting a hand on her back.

"Yes. Hunny, she comes home with new cuts and bruises weekly. I know you notice them too. It's become so normal now that nobody talks about it anymore. And now look, she almost died! I can't wait around and watch her suffer anymore. I refuse to plan my own kid's funeral." He lets out a heavy sigh, and my mother stays silent.

"No matter where we go, things won't change." I say quietly, looking up at the ceiling. "We've already moved once. And now things are worse. I don't want to be even more of a burden to the only people who care about me. Moving will just cost money and cause stress. You two love this house, let's just stay."

"Why aren't you angry? Instead you're thinking of us, the parents who failed you. You're too nice. We can move, and put you in a school that will closely monitor you. We'll do whatever you want, don't worry about the money." My mother brings my hand up to her lips and kisses it.

Angry? It's my fault. I do get angry sometimes, but I think about how it's nobody's fault but mine.

"You guys haven't failed me." I frown. "You guys are the only ones who care about me. I couldn't have asked for better parents. Let's not move. Let's stay here."

"Are you sure? This is what you want?" My mother frowns and I nod.

"Then I want you to do school from home. At least until I say so. This is something you will not have a say in. I'm going to contact your teacher later today." My father says and I nod.

"Okay." That actually doesn't sound bad. I don't mind that.

"Alright. Then it's settled." My father huffs out a breath. "I hate to say this, but I have to go to work soon. Hunny, you don't have to come in. I'd like for you to take off until Mei is better. When she's released then you can work from home. I'll take care of everything back at the office. I'll come right over on my lunch break and after work with your favorite foods." He kisses my mother, then the top of my head.

"Bye." My mother and I say in unison.

"Have a good day at work." She smiles before he walks out the door. "Yay, I get to stay here with you. Your father is so reliable these days, right?" She grins at me, and we both giggle.

"Right." I give her a small smile.